Improvement in breech-loading fire-arms



J. H. WIGHMAN.

Breech-Loading Fire-Arm.

Patented Sept. 29, 1863.

UNiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. YVIOHMANN, OF OLDENBURG, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO HENRY SOHRODER, OF SAME PLACE. V

IMPROVEMENT IN BREECH-LOADING FlRE-ARM SL Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 10,14", dated September .9, 1863.

companying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents a side view of a fire-arm as designed for army purposes, and Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal vertical section through the same, a portion of the gun in both figures being represented as broken away. Fig. 3

represents a cartridge which is designed to be used with the gun, and Fig. 4 a section through the same. Fig. 5 represents a cartridge for practice, it being made without a ball, and Fig. 6 a section through the same.

My invention consists in the manner in which I have arranged and combined the hinged breech-piece with the lever and locking mechanism, bywhich the breech of the gun may be readily opened to receive the cartridge, and securely closed and locked before the discharging of the gun.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the drawings.

A represents the stock, and B the barrel,of the gun.

O is the breech-piece, hinged to the barrel at a, so as to swing upward. This breechpiece carries the nipple b, and has a boss, 0, which enters the rear of the barrel, so as to form a tight hutbutt joint connection therewith. It has also a portion, (1, on its under side cut away, so as to form a recess for the mechanism that looks it down to catch into.

A lever, D, is pivoted to the side of the gun at e, which has at its forward end a sliding catch, f, to hold it firmly in place when it is looking down the breech-piece O. The pivot of this lever is a shaft, 9, firmly united to and turning with the lever, and a portion of this shaft is cut away, as seen at h, so as to form with the cut-away portion or recess m vof the breech-piece a locking mechanism when in in another of their positions.

On the lever D there is a cam-ledge, i, as

also. a cam, j, and when the lever is raised upwardv and drawn backward the cam j strikes against the under side of the pin 70 in the breech-pieee, thus raising or starting up the said breech, which had been previously unlocked from stock or frameby the first part of the movement of the lever. After the breech piece is started up a short distance by the lever,it is thrown farther back by the thumb or hand of the user, the pin it by this movement passing in behind the cam-ledge t. When the breech-piece is in this position, the cartridge may be inserted, and a reverse movement of the lever lets down the breech-piece to its seat and looks it there by means of the shaft 9, the lever itself being locked down by the shootingbolt f. Before raising the breech-piece the hammer E should be set at half-cock.

The bayonet F is hinged at Z to a projection, G, formed on the front under side of the barrel, and in this projection is formed a recess, H, into which a catch, a, on the bayonet takes when the bayonet is swung out into position to hold it there. When the bayonet is unfixed, thebolt n is drawn out of the recess, and it will then swing back and lie close against the under side of the barrel, its point being caught by a sliding shield to hold it in its thus unfixed positionl There are two sights, 0 p, the former hinged toward the rear of the gun and projecting forward, and having a slide, q, upon it, which will stop and hold the sight at any of the adjusted or marked positions, 1, 2, 3, 4, &c.,which represent various elevations of the gun for various distances; or this sight may lie down fiat upon the barrel and the other sight, 1), used, which is hinged and swings the reverse of that of 0, this latter sight 1) having an adjustable sightpiece, r, upon it, and when used standing up right, as seen in Fig. 2.

The lock is an exceedingly simple one, it being composed of but four pie'ces-viz., the hammer E, the mainspring I, the dog J, and the trigger K. Its construction being distinctly shown in Fig. 2, further description of it is unnecessary.

- The cartridge L, which I propose to use, is made of a metal case, 8, for containing the Unrrnn STATES ATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. XVIOHMANN, OF OLDENBURG, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO HENRY SOHRODER, OF SAME PLACE.

- IMPROVEMENT IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS.

Tort whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, JOHN H. WIOHMANN, of Oldenburg, in the Province of the Grand Duke of Oldenburg, in Germany, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Breech-Loading Fire-Arms; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 represents aside view of a fire-arm as designed for army purposes, and Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal vertical section through the same, a portion of the gun in both figures being represented as broken away. Fig. 3 represents a cartridge which is designed to be used with the gun, and Fig. 4 a section throng K the same. Fig. 5 represents a cartridge f practice, it being made without a ball Fig. 6 a section through the same.

My invention consists in the ma 9 n which I have arranged and comb'ed th hinged breech-piece with the lever ing mechanism, by which the br gun may be readily opened to re 've the cartridge, and securely closed and the discharging of the gun.

To enable others skilled il be art to make and use my invention, I w-l proceed to describe the same with refe'nce to the drawings.

A represents the stoc the gun.

G is the breech-pi e, hinged to the barrel at a, so as to swinfupward. This breechpieee carries the q 'pple b, and has a boss, 0, which enters the ear of the barrel, so as to form a tight fit-butt joint connection therewith. It has also a portion, (1, on its under side out afi ay, so as to form a recess for the mechanif that looks it down to catch into. A lever, is pivoted to the side of the gun at e, whic has at its forward end asliding catch, f, f hold it firmly in place when it is locking down the breech-piece O. The pivot of this ver is a shaft, 9, firmly united'to and turning with the lever, and a portion of this shaft is cut away, as seen at 71, so as to form with the cut-away portion or recess in of the breech-piece a locking mechanism when in Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 416*,fl5t', dated September .9, 1863 one of their positions, but which detach when in another of their positioigi- On the lever D there a cam-ledge, i, as also a cam, j, and wh the lever is raised upward and drawn b ward the cam j strikes against the under e of the pin 76 in the breech-piece, thi i-a1sing or starting up the said breech, w ;h had been previously unlocked from ink or frame by the first part of "of the lever. After the breechted up a short distance by the lerown farther back by the thumb or the user, the pin 70 by this movement pass in behind the cam-ledge 2'. When the -11-piece is in this position, the cartridge be inserted, and a reverse movement of and looks it there by means of the shaft the lever itself being locked down by the shootingbolt f. Before raising the breech-piece; the hammer E should be set at half-cock.

The bayonet F is hinged at Z to a projection, G, formed on the front under side of the bartrel, and in this projection is formed a recess,

H, into which a catch, n, on the bayonet takes wlien the bayonet is swung out into position to hdkd it there. When the bayonet is unfixed, ""athe bolt n is drawn out of the recess, and it will then swing back and lie close against thd pnder side of the barrel, its point its thus unfixed position.

There are two'sights, 0 p, the former hinged toward the rear of the gun and projecting forward, and having a slide, q, upon it, which will stop and hold the sightat any of the adjusted or marked positions, 1, 2, 3, 4, &c.,which represent various elevations ofit he gun for various distances or this sight may ie down flat upon the barrel and the other sig i; 1), used, which is hinged and swings the reverse of that of 0, this latter sight 1) having an adjustable sight piece, 0*, upon it, and when used standing upright, as seen in Fig. 2.

The lock is an exceedingly simple -one, it being composed of but four pieces'-viz.,

and the trigger K. Its construction being distinctly shown in Fig. 2, further description of it is unnecessary.

made of a metal case, 8, for containing the e lever lets down the breech-piece to its seat being caughtfaby a sliding shield to hold it in the hammer E, the mainspring I, the dog J, Y

The cartridge L, which I propose to use, is 

